AMN

Health Ministry said that India has significantly ramped up its domestic production capacity related to Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs and N95 masks and the requirements of the States and Union Territories are being sufficiently met.

Today, the country is producing more than three lakh PPEs and N95 masks per day. States and Union Territories as well as Central Institutions have been provided with around 111 lakh N-95 masks and 74.48 lakh PPEs.

Ministry said, there are some reports in a section of media expressing concern about the quality of PPE coveralls. It clarified that HLL Lifecare Limited, HLL, procuring agency of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is procuring PPE coveralls from manufacturers and suppliers tested and approved by the labs nominated by the Ministry of Textiles. Ministry said, procurement is being done only after their products qualify in the test prescribed by the technical committee of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Ministry advised all the States and Union Territories to ensure procurement after following the prescribed testing for PPEs from Ministry of Textiles’ nominated labs. In addition, manufacturers who have got their products qualified from these labs are also being brought on Government e-Marketplace, GeM. Information of manufacturers whose products have qualified the tests is available on Ministry of Textiles’ website.